About the workshop work

Workshop work is about giving children the opportunity to work, experiment and be artistic in an aesthetic, scientific and architectural way.

Development in the 1980s

The workshop work approach was developed together with the open concept in the 1980s in Germany. The origins can nevertheless be found in the reform pedagogy of the 20th century. Thus alreadyMaria Montessori orCélestin Freinet for more artistic and scientific activities for children. The central dogma of workshop work is - as in reform education - to let children have independent experiences and at the same time to perceive them as complete and unique personalities who make their own decisions. A space should be created for the children that enables them to engage in diverse educational processes, where they can experiment and work independently with different materials: The workshop.

Workshop work in day-care centres: A pedagogical concept

Workshop work is a pedagogical concept used in many day care centres (Kitas) to provide children with an environment in which they can learn and develop their individual skills and interests through independent work and experimentation. In the following, this concept is described in detail and compared with other pedagogical approaches.

Basic principles of workshop work

Workshop work is based on the idea that children learn best when they can act independently and have their own experiences in a stimulating environment. For this purpose, different "workshops" are set up in the day care centre, covering different materials, tools and learning areas. The children can freely choose a workshop and work and learn there according to their own interests and at their own pace.

Autonomy and self-determination

In contrast to other pedagogical concepts such as theFröbel pedagogy or theMontessori education the focus of the workshop work is on the children's autonomy and self-determination. The educators take on a supporting role and offer suggestions without directing the children's learning process.

The role of the educators

Educators in day-care centres who follow the concept of workshop work take on a supporting and accompanying role. They observe the children, provide suitable materials and tools and only intervene when the children need help or their safety is at risk. The aim is to promote the children's independence and initiative and to support them in their individual learning process.

Social interaction

Workshop work promotes social interaction among the children as they work together in the workshops and learn from each other. This differs from approaches such as thebilingual educationwhere the focus is on language acquisition.

Practical learning

Practical learning is at the forefront of workshop work. Similar to thePestalozzi pedagogy or thesituational approach the children have the opportunity to learn through practical experience and independent action.

Examples for workshops

In a day care centre that works according to the concept of workshop work, different workshops can be set up, for example:

• Painting and drawing workshop: In this workshop, children can give free rein to their creativity and learn different painting and drawing techniques. They can experiment with different materials such as paints, pencils, chalk or brushes and develop their artistic skills.

• Wood workshopThe wood workshop offers the children the opportunity to work with different tools and materials and to learn basic skills in working with wood. In the process, motor skills, hand-eye coordination and spatial imagination are encouraged.

• Music workshop: In the music workshop, children can get to know and try out different instruments. They can make music together, sing songs or explore rhythms. The music workshop promotes the children's musical intelligence, hearing and social skills.

• Nature workshop: The nature workshop offers children the opportunity to explore nature and its interrelationships through play. They can examine plants, animals and stones, observe natural phenomena and carry out experiments. This promotes the children's environmental awareness and scientific understanding.

• Research workshopIn the research workshop, children can experiment, research and discover. They learn to work on scientific questions and to formulate and test their own hypotheses. The research workshop promotes critical thinking and an understanding of scientific contexts.

• Role-playing workshop: The role play workshop enables the children to slip into different roles and act out social situations. They can train their communication and conflict resolution skills and develop empathy.

The choice of workshops can vary depending on the children's interests and pedagogical focus. The rooms are designed in such a way that they offer the children enough space to discover, try out and learn.

Comparison with other concepts

Compared to theForest or nature kindergartenwhich focuses particularly on spending time and learning in nature, workshop work offers a greater variety of learning areas and materials. While the forest or nature kindergarten focuses on experiencing nature and environmental awareness, workshop work allows children to discover and develop different interests and skills in different workshops.

However, workshop work also has similarities with other educational approaches. For example, similar to Montessori pedagogy, it promotes the children's independence and personal responsibility. However, compared to Fröbel pedagogy, which also emphasises the children's free play and creativity, workshop work allows a higher degree of autonomy and freedom of choice for the children.

The workshop work can also be combined with the situation-oriented approach, in which educators respond to the individual needs and interests of the children and orient their pedagogical offers accordingly. Both approaches emphasise self-determined learning and the active participation of the children in the development process.

Conclusion

Workshop work is a versatile and flexible pedagogical concept that offers children the opportunity to develop their individual interests and abilities through independent work and experimentation in various workshops. The focus is on autonomy, self-determination and practical learning. Workshop work can be combined with other pedagogical concepts and thus offers a varied and stimulating learning environment for children in Kitas. Through the detailed description of the different workshops and their contents, it becomes clear how multifaceted this concept is and how it can contribute to the holistic development of children.

Bibliography:

• Tielemann, Marion (2016): Werkstatt(t)räume : Werkstatt(t)räume für Kitas 12 workshop picture books from Atelier to ZaBu. Verlag das Netz: Berlin.

• van Dieken, Christel (2010): Kinderkunstwerkstatt- ein Handbuch zur ästhetischen Bildung von Kindern unter drei Jahren. Verlag Das Netz, Berlin.